The strategic focus in this KSA is on increasing the efficiency and
productivity of water use for production of food, forage, fibre, and
fuel crops; improving food security; reducing poverty and increasing the
wealth of people dependent on water-based agriculture; and ensuring
sustainable water resource use. The needs and requirements of present
and future generations of subsistence, emergent and commercial farmers
is addressed through creation and application of water-efficient
production technologies, models and information systems within the
following interrelated sub-sectors of agriculture, namely:

Irrigated agriculture

Rain-fed agriculture

Woodlands and forestry

Grasslands and livestock watering

Aquaculture and fisheries

The challenge for applied research is contributing to finding
sustainable solutions for water use in agriculture, with priority given
to innovative new products which support economic development and inform
decision-making for private business and public policies. In the process
of undertaking these research projects, the composition of research
teams endeavours to broaden representativeness of black and female
researchers, post-graduate students are trained to improve the expertise
of human capital, with research empowering individuals and groups in
rural communities.

Objectives

The primary objective is to increase national and household food
security and to improve the livelihoods of people on a farming,
community and regional level through efficient and sustainable
utilisation and development of water resources in agriculture.

The secondary objectives are to
:

Increase biological, technical and economic efficiency and productivity
of water use

Reduce poverty through water-based agricultural activities

Increase profitability of water-based farming systems

Ensure sustainable water resource use through protection, restoration
and reclamation practices

Portfolios of current projects have been grouped into strategic thrusts
and programmes which directly address the abovementioned objectives and
are summarised as follows:

THRUST 1: WATER UTILISATION FOR FOOD, FORAGE AND FIBRE PRODUCTION

Scope

The direction and driving force for research activities and outputs are
determined by the strategic focus to improve the knowledge of the
processes of production of field, horticultural and industrial crops.

Water productivity can be increased by producing more with the same use
of water or by producing the same with less use of water. This requires
understanding of water dynamics in the soil-water-plant-atmosphere
continuum, the equipment which is used and the method of production
which is followed. Research on all these aspects can contribute to
higher water use efficiency in agriculture.

Various processes and factors, which are site-specific, have an
influence on the quality of water for crop, livestock and fish
production. Significant shortcomings exist in the assessment of the
fitness-for-use of water sources and identifying water-related
production problems. The emphasis in this programme is on the efficient
use of water and management of water quality for irrigation of crops,
livestock watering and aquaculture in rivers, ponds and dams.

This thrust includes two programmes:

Water-efficient production methods in relation to soils, crops and
technology in rain-fed andirrigated agriculture

Fitness-for-use of water for crop production, livestock watering and
aquaculture

THRUST
2:WATER UTILISATION FOR
FUELWOOD AND TIMBER PRODUCTION

Scope

The direction and driving force for research activities and outputs are
determined by the strategic focus to improve the knowledge of the
processes of production of trees in woodlands, plantation forestry and
trees planted in combination with food and forage crops.

In
catchment areas where trees are a prominent feature of land use, runoff
and deep percolation of water can be reduced.Management of these so-called stream-flow reduction activities
necessitates an understanding of the water use by trees and the
competitive or complementary relationship of water use by trees and
water use by staple food and forage crops. Due to research
specialisation, separate attention is given in this programme to
increase the efficiency of water use by trees in woodlands and
plantations for fuel-wood and timber production.

This thrust includes one programme:

Water-efficient production methods and systems in agro-forestry,
woodlands and forestry plantations

THRUST
3: WATER UTILISATION FOR POVERTY REDUCTION AND WEALTH CREATION IN
AGRICULTURE

Scope

The direction and driving force for research activities and outputs are
determined by the strategic focus to improve the knowledge of the
management processes undertaken by people who are using water.

Poverty, hunger and malnutrition amongst rural people are widely
recognised as major problems. These members of rural communities,
consisting mainly of women, children and the elderly, are also
disadvantaged or marginalised for various social, economic and political
reasons. A wide-ranging programme is required to support the sustainable
development of rangeland livestock, rain-fed and irrigated crop
production. Efficient use of water through a combination of agricultural
activities can contribute to improving living conditions. Empowerment of
rural people can be promoted further through participatory action
research which improves knowledge, farming skills and leadership
capabilities.

Commercial farming is a major user of water resources and faces a
particular challenge to ensure that this share of water is used
effectively and efficiently. There is invariably a close link between
efficient use and allocation of water and whole-farming profitability.
Water management on farms is also time-dependent and based on incomplete
knowledge of changes in the weather, prices and technology. Under these
circumstances modelling is a powerful tool to provide decision-support
and management advice. The focus in this programme is therefore on
developing procedures, methods and models to provide advice to farmers
on best management practices and the optimal combination of crop and
livestock enterprises within the constraints of water, land and capital
resources.

This
thrust includes two programmes:

Sustainable water-based agricultural activities in rural communities

Integrated water management for profitable farming systems

THRUST
4: WATER RESOURCE PROTECTION, RESTORATION AND RECLAMATION IN AGRICULTURE

Scope

The direction and driving force for research activities and outputs are
determined by the strategic focus to improve the knowledge of the
natural processes and people-induced impacts of resource use.

With cultivation and irrigation, larger quantities of salts present in
the soil and lower strata could be mobilised. Increasing salinity levels
and higher water tables threaten the sustainable use of soil and water.Knowledge and tools to manage the quantity and quality of water
resources for agricultural production are therefore required. The focus
of research is on developing methods and models to manage water
distribution and prevent water resource degradation.

Agricultural decisions to use land and to conserve rainfall or to
abstract water from rivers, dams and boreholes, has wide-ranging impacts
on the natural environment. Intensification of crop and livestock
production processes can potentially contribute to higher levels of
chemical residues of fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides in surface
and groundwater. Precautions must be taken as part of the agricultural
production process to protect the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
This requires an understanding of the negative impacts of agriculture
and guidelines for an assessment and mitigation of those impacts.

This thrust includes two programmes:

Sustainable water resource use on irrigation schemes and within river
catchments

Impact assessment and environmental management of agricultural
production

Research
portfolio for 2015/16 and 2016/17

In this KSA a holistic systems approach is followed for knowledge
creation and dissemination to enable people to utilise water in a
sustainable way for food production and improved livelihoods. Research
projects are managed within the innovation cycle to ensure that
scientific research is applicable and socially beneficial. Key issues
being addressed are the productivity of water use for crops and
livestock, poverty reduction and wealth creation in rural areas and
prevention of resource degradation. These efforts are aligned to the
Vision for 2030 of the National Development Plan; the outputs for
Outcomes 7 and 10 in the Programme of Action announced by the
Presidency;core water
strategies of the NWRS-2; measures in the framework for the New Growth
Path; the Green Paper on National Strategic Planning; the DWA framework
on Water for Growth and
Development; the DAFF Integrated Growth and Development Plan; the
National Agricultural Research and Development Strategy; and the
Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme of NEPAD.
Reports by the FAO (2013) and Save the Children (2013), further
emphasise that food production is essential to achieve better nutrition
and the importance of nutrition on early childhood development. The
focus of the WRC research effort is on reducing poverty, unemployment
and inequality. Work will therefore continue to fill knowledge gaps that
exist in the utilisation of water in agriculture, under the following
key activities of the research portfolio:

Increasing the productivity of rainwater and
irrigation water for crop andlivestockproduction

Uplifting rural economies through commercial food
production andreducing
income inequalities

Quantifying the water footprint in food value
chains

Eradicating hunger and reducing poverty

Improving food security, nutrition and health

Generating alternative sources of renewable
energy

Preventing soil and water degradation and
pollution

Adapting farming systems to climate change

This KSA will strive to achieve
a balance between projects in irrigated and rain-fed agriculture,
agro-forestry and aquaculture, to promote farmer involvement in poor
rural communities through participatory action research, and to take
research projects further toward practical application of results with
technology exchange activities. Based on a stakeholder consultation
workshop held in July 2014, the following priority themes are
recommended for research proposals of projects as from 2016/17:
Determining the water footprint of selected fibre and fuel crops; water
use for food and nutrition security at the start-up stages of food value
chains, supporting gender relations and early childhood development for
poor households in rural and peri-urban areas; water use of selected
sub-tropical fruit orchards; ultra-violet (UV) treatment of irrigation
water to ensure food safety; management guidelines and regulations for
use of winery wastewater as a resource for irrigation; rain-fed water
use and entrepreneurial development for establishing small farming
businesses, employment creation for youth and poverty reduction;
assessment of the effectiveness of policies and strategies for water
governance in the case of smallholder irrigation farming; scenario
development of future prospects for management of limited and declining
quality agricultural water, increasing urbanisation of food consumers,
higher energy costs and volatile food prices as influenced by changing
climate, policies and economic circumstances; and modelling water yield
with change in land use in selected river catchments.

The output of most of these
projects will mainly contribute to the WRC lighthouses on
Water-Energy-Food Security, the Green Village, Climate Change and
Freshwater Governance.

Increasing the productivity of rainwater and irrigation water for crop
and livestock production

Uplifting rural economies through commercial food production and
reducing income inequalities

Quantifying the water footprint in food value chains

Eradicating hunger and reducing poverty

Improving food security, nutrition and health

Generating alternative sources of renewable energy

Preventing soil and water degradation and pollution

Adapting farming systems to climate change

This KSA will strive to achieve a balance between projects in irrigated
and rain-fed agriculture, agro-forestry and aquaculture, to promote
farmer involvement in poor rural communities through participatory
action research, and to take research projects further toward practical
application of results with technology transfer activities.The baseline of completed projects and stakeholder requirements
indicate the direction and priorities for future research. Emphasis will
therefore be placed on determining the water footprint of selected food,
forage, fibre and fuel crops; measurement and modelling of deciduous
fruit tree orchard water use; revision of the 1996 water quality
guidelines for agricultural water use; rehabilitation of grasslands and
livestock water use productivity after eradication of invasive trees;
water use of agro-forestry systems for food, forage or fuel production;
evaluation of the water use and nutritional productivity of food crops
in the diet of the rural poor; contribution of inland freshwater
fisheries to rural livelihoods; wide-scale modelling of irrigation water
use and water availability with earth observation/satellite imagery;
up-scaling of rainwater harvesting and conservation (RWH&C) to croplands
and rangelands for food production and renewable fuel generation;
modelling of irrigation farming profitability with curtailment of
authorised water use; assessment of the impact of erosion on
sedimentation of water resources; modelling crop water use and
determining the impact of climate change on selected catchments;
seamless near-forecasting of rainfall for effective agricultural water
management; and non-point source (NPS) pollution and salinisation
management from field to catchment scale. The output of most of these
projects will mainly contribute to the WRC Lighthouses on
Water-Energy-Food Security, the Green Village, Climate Change and
Freshwater Governance.

Scope:
The
direction
and
driving
force
for
research
activities
and
outputs
are
determined
by the
strategic
focus to
improve
the
knowledge
of the
processes
of
production
of
field,
horticultural
and
industrial
crops.

Programme
1:

Water-efficient
production
methods
in
relation
to
soils,
crops
and
technology
in
rain-fed
and
irrigated
agriculture

Scope:
Water
productivity
can be
increased
by
producing
more
with the
same use
of water
or by
producing
the same
with
less use
of
water.
This
requires
understanding
of water
dynamics
in the
soil-water-plant-atmosphere
continuum,
the
equipment
which is
used and
the
method
of
production
which is
followed.
Research
on all
these
aspects
can
contribute
to
higher
water
use
efficiency
in
agriculture.

Programme
2:

Fitness-for-use
of water
for crop
production,
livestock
watering
and
aquaculture

Scope:
Various
processes
and
factors,
which
are
site-specific,
have an
influence
on the
quality
of water
for
crop,
livestock
and fish
production.
Significant
shortcomings
exist in
assessment
of the
fitness-for-use
of
surface
and
underground
water
sources
and
identifying
water-related
production
problems.
The
emphasis
in this
programme
is on
the
efficient
use of
water
and
management
of water
quality
for
irrigation
of
crops,
livestock
watering,
aquaculture
and
inland
fisheries
in
rivers,
ponds
and
dams.

THRUST 2:
WATER
UTILISATION
FOR
FUEL-WOOD
AND
TIMBER
PRODUCTION

Scope:
The
direction
and
driving
force
for
research
activities
and
outputs
are
determined
by the
strategic
focus to
improve
the
knowledge
of the
processes
of
production
of trees
in
woodlands,
plantation
forestry
and
trees
planted
in
combination
with
food and
forage
crops.

Programme
1:

Water-efficient
production
methods
and
systems
in
agro-forestry,
woodlands
and
forestry
plantations

Scope:
In
catchment
areas
where
trees
are a
prominent
feature
of land
use,
runoff
and deep
percolation
of water
can be
reduced.
Management
of these
so-called
streamflow
reduction
activities
necessitates
an
understanding
of the
water
use by
trees
and the
competitive
or
complementary
relationship
of water
use by
trees
and
water
use by
staple
food and
forage
crops.
Due to
research
specialisation,
separate
attention
is given
in this
programme
to
increase
the
efficiency
of water
use by
trees in
woodlands
and
plantations
for
fuel-wood
and
timber
production.

THRUST 3:
WATER
UTILISATION
FOR
POVERTY
REDUCTION
AND
WEALTH
CREATION
IN
AGRICULTURE

Scope:
The
direction
and
driving
force
for
research
activities
and
outputs
are
determined
by the
strategic
focus to
improve
the
knowledge
of the
management
processes
undertaken
by
people
who are
using
water.

Programme
1:

Sustainable
water-based
agricultural
activities
in rural
communities

Scope:

Poverty,
hunger
and
malnutrition
amongst
rural
people
are
widely
recognised
as major
problems.
These
members
of rural
communities,
consisting
mainly
of
women,
children
and the
elderly,
are also
disadvantaged
or
marginalised
for
various
social,
economic
and
political
reasons.
A
wide-ranging
programme
is
required
to
support
the
sustainable
development
of
rangeland
livestock,
rain-fed
and
irrigated
crop
production.
Efficient
use of
water
through
a
combination
of
agricultural
activities
can
contribute
to
improving
living
conditions.
Empowerment
of rural
people
can
further
be
promoted
through
participatory
action
research
which
improves
knowledge,
farming
skills
and
leadership
capabilities.

Programme
2 :

Integrated
water
management
for
profitable
farming
systems

Scope:
Commercial
farming
is a
major
user of
water
resources
and
faces a
particular
challenge
to
ensure
that
this
share of
water is
used
effectively
and
efficiently.
There is
invariably
a close
link
between
efficient
use and
allocation
of water
and
whole-farming
profitability.
Water
management
on farms
is also
time-dependent
and
based on
incomplete
knowledge
of
changes
in the
weather,
prices
and
technology.
Under
these
circumstances
modelling
is a
powerful
tool to
provide
decision-support
and
management
advice.
The
focus in
this
programme
is
therefore
on
developing
procedures,
methods
and
models
to
provide
advice
to
farmers
on best
management
practices
and the
optimal
combination
of crop
and
livestock
enterprises
within
the
constraints
of
water,
land and
capital
resources.

THRUST
4: WATER
RESOURCE
PROTECTION,
RESTORATION
AND
RECLAMATION
IN
AGRICULTURE

Scope:
The
direction
and
driving
force
for
research
activities
and
outputs
are
determined
by the
strategic
focus to
improve
the
knowledge
of the
natural
processes
and
people-induced
impacts
of
resource
use

Programme
1:

Sustainable
water
resource
use on
irrigation
schemes
and
within
river
catchments

Scope:
With
cultivation
and
irrigation,
larger
quantities
of salts
present
in the
soil and
lower
strata
could be
mobilised.
Increasing
salinity
levels
and
higher
water
tables
threaten
the
sustainable
use of
soil and
water.
Knowledge
and
tools to
manage
the
quantity
and
quality
of water
resources
for
agricultural
production
are
therefore
required.
The
focus of
research
is on
developing
methods
and
models
to
manage
water
distribution
and
prevent
water
resource
degradation.

Programme
2:

Impact
assessment
and
environmental
management
of
agricultural
production

Scope:
Agricultural
decisions
to use
land and
to
conserve
rainfall,
or to
withdraw
water
from
rivers,
dams and
boreholes,
has
wide-ranging
impacts
on the
natural
environment.
Intensification
of crop
and
livestock
production
processes
can
potentially
contribute
to
higher
levels
of
chemical
residues
of
fertilisers,
pesticides
and
herbicides
in
surface
and
groundwater.
Precautions
must be
taken as
part of
the
agricultural
production
process
to
protect
the
terrestrial
and
aquatic
ecosystems.
This
requires
an
understanding
of the
negative
impacts
of
agriculture
and
guidelines
for an
assessment
and
mitigation
of those
impacts.